Plogging Tour, Iberostar Group and Green Pepper Travel: the winning initiatives of FiturNext 2023

As in every edition, the selection process of the winning and finalist projects has been determined by the Replicability Barometer and the Impact Barometer, ending with the external evaluations of the FiturNext Advisory Board, which has contributed to the final verdict.

Regeneration and conservation of the environment through tourism: these are the winning initiatives

Contributing to a more conscious, responsible and sustainable way of travelling is on the roadmaps of this year's three winning projects. In addition, they all highlight the link between travellers and destination residents, encouraging the participation of the local community:

1. Plogging Tour is a foundation that, through sports tourism, offers waste collection activities to conserve the environment. The initiative has been awarded in the land regeneration category and has a high level of replicability and impact on the territory. Through its activities, visitors and locals have collected more than 30,800kgs of waste, which is then passed on to a circular economy process.

2. The Iberostar Group, as part of its pioneer movement Wave for Change, presented its roadmap for coastal health, promoting a responsible tourism model focused on the conservation of coral and marine species. The Wave of Change initiative is the award winner in the aquatic regeneration category for its activities among hotel guests and staff that contribute to making the coastal ecosystem resilient to climate change.

3. The travel agency Green Pepper Travel is the winner in the category of management and promotion of environmental regeneration for the design of community-based tourism trips in Latin America. The project aims to enable visitors to choose a type of travel that is more conscious and sustainable with the environment and the local community of the destination. Among the most popular activities is the reforestation of Chiapas, which fosters the relationship between travellers and residents through the planting of trees in the territory.

We analyse the finalist initiatives of the FiturNext 2023 Challenge

Nine projects have been selected as finalists in the 2023 Challenge for their dedication and contribution to the regeneration of the natural environment. Let's see how:

• Amazonia Emprende, a school and training centre that develops solutions and measures to climate change supported by tourism for the recovery of the territory.
• Quinta Saroco, which offers agro-eco-tourism opportunities in FARC armed conflict zones to re-establish the social fabric.
• B'n'Tree by Click A Tree, which plants trees in countries in Asia and Africa with every travel booking made through its organisation.
• Red de Reservas Naturales de la Sociedad Civil del Alto Ricaurte, which through an independent collective promotes ecosystem conservation and safeguards against threats from mining and less aware tourism.
• La ruta del coral (by ProCoReef), which regenerates the oceans by involving the local community and visitors.
• Playa Viva and ReSimar, which contributes to turtle rescue and mangrove recovery through tourism activities.
• Chao plástico del mar, which together with visitors cleans beaches to protect the coastal marine ecosystems of the Colombian Pacific.
• La mar de dones, a women's cooperative that focuses on conserving coastal border areas to promote fishing activities and the tourist attraction of the destination.
• Camina sostenible, a consultancy that disseminates knowledge on regenerative tourism through consultancy, training and participation in events.

Getting ready for FiturNext 2023...

The programme for this year's edition is progressing and, as every year, will begin with the awards ceremony for the winning initiatives and a special mention for the finalists within the framework of FITUR. In addition, experts in regenerative tourism will take part in a series of presentations, round tables and talks where the FiturNext 2023 report will also be presented.